The Pelargonium species (about 270) are native to South Africa and were introduced to European gardens in 1600s as primarily onramental plants. Their medicinal properties were only known to a few South African tribes. The cultivars known to produce essential oil come from species like P. capitatum, P. graveolens, and P. radens, which are not natural but hybrids. Today the biggest producer of Geranium oil is China, followed by Egypt. Additional producers are Reunion and India. Plants grown in subtropical climates at higher altitudes produce an oil that is lighter than oil from cultivars grown at lower elevations. In England, at the time of Queen Victoria, pelargonimus became very fashoinable plants and or commonly known as "geraniums". However, referring to pelargoniums as "geraniums" was incorrect and based on the observation their seeds were similar. This misnomer still survives today as we continue to use the word "geranium" to refer to pelargoniums. Often in aromatherapy the therapeutical properties attributed to Geranium relate to Geranium robertianum (or commonly known as "herb robert") not the essential oil extracted from the Pelargonium species, perpetuating the original mistake of confusing the two species.